> >d recomend Chilton they produce the most thoroughRepair manuals that
> >I've seen.
> >
> >Jason Wodack
> >'84 Bronco II
>
>
> Chiltons give you just enough info to get you
> into trouble... best manuals for the DIY are Haynes,
> the next best is Clymer.
> The ultimate manual is the Factory Repair Manual.
>
>
> Steve & Rockette...Lifes a beach
> '57 F100 Shorty
> '63 F100 Longbox
I've got a haynes manual for my Bronco II and it really doesn't give me that much I still get lost occasionally. I've got a chilton manual for my moms car and it seems to give much more info, maybe it's just me. Also I havn't seen any factory repair manuals around.
They would probably sell them at a dealership maybe I should look harder.

> At 09:24 PM 3/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
> >Has anyone else heard the rumors of the government outlawing mechanic
> >work unless done in certified shops? I heard This rumor and it
> >shocked me. I like to work on cars just for the fun of it. It's one
> >of my biggest hobbies. If anyone has heard any more about this let
> >me know.
> >
>
> That's just what it is, a rumor. The new smog laws make it very
> difficult on the new cars to fiddle with the car without having
> special equipement, however there is nothing pending that will
> outlaw mechanic work. A significant percentage of the economy
> is based on the current structure of auto parts stores and small
> mechanic shops - not something that would be messed with. I
> think you'd see a big stink on the news if it was messed with.
>
> -Ken Payne
> 1967 Ford F100 Custom Cab, 390 FE V8
> List maintainer, send me comments and suggestions.
> Visit the Ford Trucks List Web Page (unsubscribe
> form is there): http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.mindspring.com/~fordtrucks That's a relief I would go nuts without a little tinkering on my truck, or someone elses car for that matter(even the c-words).

I'm in the process of shopping for an early 90's F250 4X4 with the diesel engine. Are there any problems I should be looking for. I'm especially concerned about the engine. I've never owned a diesel before, however I have been somewhat convinced to go this route due to the positive feedback I have received. Does anybody have any experience with the Powerstroke 7.3 engine? Good or Bad.

Realistically, what sort of gas mileage should I expect?
What are the maitenance costs like?

> I'm in the process of shopping for an early 90's F250 4X4 with the diesel
> engine. Are there any problems I should be looking for. I'm especially
> concerned about the engine. I've never owned a diesel before, however I
> have been somewhat convinced to go this route due to the positive feedback
> I have received. Does anybody have any experience with the Powerstroke 7.3
> engine? Good or Bad.
>
> Realistically, what sort of gas mileage should I expect?
> What are the maitenance costs like?
>
> I would appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.
>
> Chuck Bartlett
Where do you live if you live in a colder climate you may experience trouble starting a diesel. make sure it has a block heater(most of them will) and an oil pan heater would probably not be a bad idea.
also when you do get this diesel shell produces a motor oil called "shell rotella" It is the best oil on the market it is used by many long haul truckers in thier rigs. The engine runs quieter and it doesn't break down easily. Good luck.

>I'm in the process of shopping for an early 90's F250 4X4 with the diesel
>engine. Are there any problems I should be looking for. I'm especially
>concerned about the engine. I've never owned a diesel before, however I
>have been somewhat convinced to go this route due to the positive feedback
>I have received. Does anybody have any experience with the Powerstroke 7.3
>engine? Good or Bad.
>
>Realistically, what sort of gas mileage should I expect?
>What are the maitenance costs like?
>
>I would appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.
>
>Chuck Bartlett
>

Chuck:

I worked for a small excavating co. and have some considerable experience with diesels, altho mostly big ones (cummins, cat). Be sure to buy a truck with proper maintenance records.

Yes, the Shell Rotella T is quite a good oil. Change it as often as the manual says. The usual grade is 15-40.

Some nutcase will tell you to use "quick start" or some other ether spray to start the engine in really cold weather. Do not listen to nutcases. They will like it when your engine blows up, and you won't.

All that volatility don't mix with compression. Remember that diesel engine compression is 2-3 times higher than in gas engines.

Also, esp in cold weather do not drive the thing until it has properly warmed up. Diesels, esp the bigger ones, are designed essentially as constant-speed engines so revving or punching the engine, especially when it is cold, is a really, really bad idea.

You will have to keep an eye on the fuel filter as well as the oil, as they plug up much more rapidly in a diesel.

Diesels use considerably more air than gas engines, and turbodiesels even more (like 3x more). Keep you aircleaner clean. Often they are expensive for diesels, so make sure you blow it out or at least shake it out often (every 1500 miles or so). If your engine starts to smoke unusually, don't rush to have your injection pump changed, just buy a new air cleaner and see if that solves the problem. You'd be surprised just how much difference these things make. Often a good way of telling if a really careful guy owned your truck before you do is if the air cleaner is properly serviced.

Finally, do not expect any gas mileage at all from your powerstroke. If you do make the mistake of using gas, you will probably make it no more than a mile on a whole tank!!!

Bill Rotureau wrote:
>
> Hey folks,
>
> More on my friend who is putting a 351 Cleveland in his '77 F100. He
> asked me if I knew anyone who makes headers that might fit this
> combination without any major modifications. As the Cleveland was not offered
> (I don't think) in trucks, I told him I didn't know, but someone on this
> mailing list might. If anyone has any ideas or help on this, it will be
> appreciated. If it matters, he is going to mate this engine up to a
> three speed - although I am trying to talk him into going to a C6 of the
> same vintage. On that note, does anyone have a source for a C6 that will
> go with a 351 Cleveland???
>
> Thanks
>
> Bill
> '64 F100 Shortbox 302/C4
> (wannabe hotrod)
>

Well, after weeks of farting around and not changing out the differential on my truck I finally got to work on it today.
The truck has been parked for 4 weeks. Anyways, I cleaned, primed and painted the junkyard unit, took off the drive-shaft and then went around to the rear-left tire and took off the wheel cover. Lo' and behold, I found what destroyed 2 u-joints, the differential yoke and the differential. All 5 lug nugs were nearly ready to come off, about 1 inch of play on each. All the threads were chewed off and the bolts nearly eaten half way through from the tire wobbling around. Lucky I've got a spare axle in the shed, my wife has been on to me for a year to throw it away - hint: if it aint broke, don't toss it! Thank God that sucker didn't come off while on the highway! Anyways, it turns out that the differential was the effect, not the cause. The wheel is trashed too, most of the bolt holes are almost big enough to let the nuts through!

So now my truck sits until I get a new set of rear wheels, not going to be easy or cheap as they are 10.5 inch wide wheels.
I want to try to keep to the same size as the tires cost me $125 each.

The moral of the story, check the tires first!

Oh, if anyone wondered where I was on Wednesday: my wife and I were at the doctors office all day. There was a possibility of some serious complications with her pregnancy. After much prayer (trust, even if you're the type who doesn't pray you would if you thought your unborn child might have downs syndrome) from myself, my wife, family, alot of friends and co-workers all the tests show that the baby has no signs of any problems.
The doctor said the baby appears perfectly normal and brain developement is right on schedule plus there's excellent blood flow. Huge sigh of relief from me and a lot of gratitude. Oh, it's a boy (I already have a 7 year girl)!!!!! Only 2 months to go!

> Oh, if anyone wondered where I was on Wednesday: my wife
> and I were at the doctors office all day. There was a possibility
> of some serious complications with her pregnancy. After much
> prayer (trust, even if you're the type who doesn't pray you
> would if you thought your unborn child might have downs syndrome)
> from myself, my wife, family, alot of friends and co-workers
> all the tests show that the baby has no signs of any problems.
> The doctor said the baby appears perfectly normal and brain developement
> is right on schedule plus there's excellent blood flow. Huge
> sigh of relief from me and a lot of gratitude. Oh, it's a boy (I
> already have a 7 year girl)!!!!! Only 2 months to go!
>
> -Ken Payne
> 1967 Ford F100 Custom Cab, 390 FE V8 Congratulations!!!
Jason Wodack

At 03:37 PM 3/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hey folks,
>
>More on my friend who is putting a 351 Cleveland in his '77 F100. He
>asked me if I knew anyone who makes headers that might fit this
>combination without any major modifications. As the Cleveland was not offered
>(I don't think) in trucks, I told him I didn't know, but someone on this
>mailing list might. If anyone has any ideas or help on this, it will be
>appreciated. If it matters, he is going to mate this engine up to a
>three speed - although I am trying to talk him into going to a C6 of the
>same vintage. On that note, does anyone have a source for a C6 that will
>go with a 351 Cleveland???

Just curious if anyone has seen and or used the Summit's house brand headers. I have a rebuilt 302 in a '78 F150 long box. It has an Edelbrock Performer intake and Holley 600CFM carb. Now that I have the engine finished, I'm moving on to the exhaust. It has stock dual exhaust with the stock exhaust manifolds. I want to change to headers and run all new 2 1/4" aluminized steel pipe and install 3 chamber Flowmasters or Walker Dynomax Turbos. My main concern is the headers. I don't want to spend $200 or so for headers that last 5 or 6 years when I can buy $80 headers that will last 2 or 3 years. That is why I am asking for opinions/facts on the Summit headers.

My next question is the exhaust. A friend of mine has a 4 month old D*dge Ram with the 360 and automatic trans. He went to a shop and said he wanted a Flowmaster installed with new pipe and tips. Only problem is, he does not know which Flowmaster was installed. From the cat up to the manifolds is still stock. The exhaust goes through a Y to a single cat then to the Flowmaster then out through 2 1/4" dual pipes. It sounds awesome. It's not really loud and not too soft. It has a nice exhaust note to it. That is why I think it is the 3 chamber version. I have never heard a Flowmaster before - that is why I am asking this to the list.

Mike Schwall wrote:
>
> Just curious if anyone has seen and or used the Summit's house brand
> headers. I have a rebuilt 302 in a '78 F150 long box. It has an Edelbrock
> Performer intake and Holley 600CFM carb. Now that I have the engine
> finished, I'm moving on to the exhaust. It has stock dual exhaust with the
> stock exhaust manifolds. I want to change to headers and run all new 2
> 1/4" aluminized steel pipe and install 3 chamber Flowmasters or Walker
> Dynomax Turbos. My main concern is the headers. I don't want to spend
> $200 or so for headers that last 5 or 6 years when I can buy $80 headers
> that will last 2 or 3 years. That is why I am asking for opinions/facts on
> the Summit headers.A friend has them on his challenger and is happy with them especially for the price.
>
> My next question is the exhaust. A friend of mine has a 4 month old D*dge
> Ram with the 360 and automatic trans. He went to a shop and said he wanted
> a Flowmaster installed with new pipe and tips. Only problem is, he does
> not know which Flowmaster was installed. From the cat up to the manifolds
> is still stock. The exhaust goes through a Y to a single cat then to the
> Flowmaster then out through 2 1/4" dual pipes. It sounds awesome. It's
> not really loud and not too soft. It has a nice exhaust note to it. That
> is why I think it is the 3 chamber version. I have never heard a
> Flowmaster before - that is why I am asking this to the listI'd go with the Super Turbo myself, they flow more than Flowmasters and the other expensive mufflers and they're only $25. If your friends truck isn't really load then he has the 3 chamber mufflers.

NOW.....I would check the fuel mileage for a few tankfulls for a base line.
AND.....I would pull a couple of sparkplugs and check the color. You might be able to run those 62's or lower with the two-stage power valve.

Now you can start thinking about 'recurving' the distributor. Always something to do when you are having fun!

> Chiltons give you just enough info to get you
>into trouble... best manuals for the DIY are Haynes,
>the next best is Clymer.
For some unexplainable reason I never really liked Hanes. I saw their manuals more as childrens' books than manuals, but I've also found plenty of errors in the Chilton's manuals that I've used. Like failing to even acknowledge that the 360 was offered before '69 or '70. Minor stuff like that. And incorrect bore and stroke numbers in some of their other manuals.
I recommend getting one of each plus a book specifically for your engine family like Ford Performance (Patrick Genahl, covers Cleveland, 385, FE, and smallblock families) or How to Rebuild your Big-Block Ford (all FE-good stuff). Then use your common sense and pick the most reasonable-sounding information from each of the books. Or:

> The ultimate manual is the Factory Repair Manual.
No doubt. But it is a big hard for a lot of people to get their hands on these. If anyone's got the shop manuals covering drivetrain and electrical for '68 F100's that they'd like to get off of their hands, you know where to find me.
>Steve & Rockette...Lifes a beach

I belive that some one offered headers for 77 up with 351m-400equiped trucks. Try calling Jegs or Summit, and asking them. Hedman, Hooker, or Doug`s come to mind right off. You might have to call factory direct, ask for tech line. They usually are very helpful.
Garry
--- On Sat, 22 Mar 1997 16:35:08 -0500 (EST) Steve & Rockette wrote:

>At 03:37 PM 3/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>Hey folks,
>>
>>More on my friend who is putting a 351 Cleveland in his '77 F100. He
>>asked me if I knew anyone who makes headers that might fit this
>>combination without any major modifications. As the Cleveland was not offered
>>(I don't think) in trucks, I told him I didn't know, but someone on this

>>mailing list might. If anyone has any ideas or help on this, it will be

>>appreciated. If it matters, he is going to mate this engine up to a
>>three speed - although I am trying to talk him into going to a C6 of the

>>same vintage. On that note, does anyone have a source for a C6 that will
>>go with a 351 Cleveland???
>
> Get headers for a 400, and C6 from a mid 70's Lincoln.
>
>Steve & Rockette...Lifes a beach
>'57 F100 Shorty
>'63 F100 Longbox
>
>
>____________________________________________________________________
>Message distributed via http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.lofcom.com/
>To send mail to fordtrucks, use the address: fordtrucks lofcom.com
>For help send a message with "HELP" in the body to:list-request lofcom.com
>Comments and suggestions are welcome, use: kpayne mindspring.com
>
>

I've got a 57 Ranchero I bought from the original owners wife in 93, (original owner passed away) that had a remanufactured engine installed in 1963. When I brought it home I did a base line tuneup, the sparkplugs were autolite 295, which is a small thread dia plug. All the older fords I ever had were large thread dia. This is not the plug called for in any Ford manuals I can find. Per the guys at the local parts shop this plug is for a lawnmower, although they seem to work OK.

It is a Ford engine, becasue other 292 things I've bought for it fit, just strange plugs. I thought it may be a 312??

I'm pulling the engine/trans for overhaul right now and will see what the machine shop says.

Just wanted everyone to know that between digest and standard format we hit 300 members tonight. Must be that everyone is experiencing good weather, the list traffic is ssssllllllooooowwww this weekend.

I just got my "first" car ever this past week. It's an '88 Ford Bronco II which had 122k on it when I bought it. Either way we have found a couple minor problems one of which the power door locks don't work.
Does anyone have any idea of what could be wrong? I don't think it has to do with any fuses. Anyway thanks for the help.

It seems I have to do the kingpins now, which seems relatively straightforward, except for a few things.

Btw I have done the kingpins on an old (79) Suzuki jeep before, similar solid front axle setup, so it isn't all greek to me, except that that was a bangup job.

I would of course like to cut corners a bit. So rather than disassembling the entire front brake assembly, I'd like to leave it in and just do the bearings. I wonder if this is adviseable. I suppose it depends on the condition of the races. If the races are ok, can I just pull the wheel, take the caps off, and replace the rollers? As we all do, I HATE gear oil.
Almost as much as brake fluid.

My manual says something about shims, and about bearing preload. Here's where I'd like some explanation:

"Install the old shims for a trial build-up. Torque the bearing cap bolts or stud nuts to 25 ft. lbs. Check the steering knuckle bearing preload. It should be 60-120 in. lbs. Adjust the shim thickness at the bearing caps, as required, to obtain the proper pre-load."

I have both a ft lb and an in lb torque wrench, so doing the actual job isn't a problem. I want to know if preload means the energy it takes to turn the steering knuckle at the cap by turning with an in-lb torque wrench.
I think it does. Would anybody tell me if using thicker shims means less preload, or more?

Also, if anybody has done this procedure before, can you tell me about any potential pitfalls or problems?

I will not forget to jack up the truck and physically shake the wheel to see if it's the kingpins or the wheel bearing tho....

>I just got my "first" car ever this past week. It's an '88 Ford Bronco
>II which had 122k on it when I bought it. Either way we have found a
>couple minor problems one of which the power door locks don't work.
>Does anyone have any idea of what could be wrong? I don't think it has
>to do with any fuses. Anyway thanks for the help.
>

Sure.

There's 3 things that cd be wrong.

1. no power. This you can check at the switch or at the lock solenoid using a test lamp.

2. switch is no good. unlikely since the others work

3. most likely. solenoid (inside the door that doesn't lock) is no good. If there's power getting there and no action, change the solenoid.....

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